Khost’s “Governance” just might be one of the heaviest things I have heard since GodFlesh’s iconic “Streatcleaner” album. It’s no surprise then that this duo is from Birmingham, UK; the same homeland as Justin from Godflesh.

Governance is the new release on Cold Spring Records, fusing a devastating mixture of noise infected doom, death industrial/backdrops and harsh vocals that resemble the peeling of metal shards. Some tracks are nearer to heavy industrial (organic…not the so-called definition that some ebm artists have adopted) and others are more death-industrial doom; slow percussive beats mixed with ultra-low slow sludgy guitars (which seem manipulated to the point of leaving the listener forgetting it’s a guitar to begin with).

There are few and far moments on this release that are as crushing as the next. It’s slow, sludgy and is basically the sonic equivalent a scab peeled slowly from the scalp. Bands like Fudge Tunnel, Eyehategod, Winter (the short lived doom metal band) or even post-Streetcleaner Godflesh have nothing on the depth that Khost possesses. The wall of sound these guys create seems to take on tones of its own when all of the instruments mold together. Some artists create drones and ambient landscapes digitally but the drone-like effect created by Khost seems to be created organically.

Perhaps the most powerful track is “Stockholm Sundrome” which begins with treated acoustic guitar and effect laden spoken word…then a sudden and all-out sonic gut crunch of devastation…everything the band has to offer in one shot, thus showing the dynamic and power Khost possesses.

Governance is a great pulverizing crush to the skull and slow-motion iron-bar slap to the gut.